Insanity #07 17 августа 2000

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Last Weekend - the history of Izhevsk printed newspaper for the Spectrum: ZX Weekend.

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     eї ° √ ¤ ¤ √ ∙ ° ўeE Last Weekend ... eї ° √ ¤ ¤ √ ∙ ° ўeE

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  $% Surv! V0r



                                       If you have Sincalir,

                                       then this newspaper for

                                       Both of you!

                                            inscription on the 
cover 



   Development of Spectrum, fulminate in the 90 years on
ex-USSR space can pohvatstasya at least three
whales, which grow, grew stronger and continues to still hold on
Spectrum movement. Thanks to them, do not wave spektrumizma
smashed against the rocks of diverse and bloodthirsty Ocean 
Computer industry. Spectrum has found its place and continues 
to spite mnogin stir hearts heroically persistent under the 
influence of the deadly time enthusiasts.



    First, the incredible demand for cheap household (in
Soviet concept - household), computers in the early 90's spawned
so the same stream of incredible diversity, counter-offers with
artisanal and small factory in the process of conversion
conversion to ensure the defense needs to technologically
new, such as tin basins, along the way who have mastered this
transitional period and penniless stamping 'National Spectrum'
and simple computer mutants with local names.


    The second merit represents the activities of people
passionate desire for knowledge of the internal device 
algorithms programs, and sometimes captured tempting desire to 
do something his own, original, and absolutely, as it later 
turns out terrible and are largely completely unnecessary.



    And third, that unite and told him about all this -
birth nominally spektrumovslih funds pereodicheskgo
dissemination of information collected. The third kit will put 
everything in places. It is not known, it would not appear they 
are in their time ...



    Without empty conventions, journal ZX Revue possible
called the first major newspapers, which paved
road 'hundreds Papanin' through the ice of the poles Spectrum
obscurity. If only guess how many times
reprinted annual compilations of the journal in the years 
1999-1993, the even a modest udvivlenie here is not no hooligan

emotions! Information support of one-fifth of world's land
truly great and to this day few who really appreciated
in dignity. Theoretically, only one number ZX Revue was
its time to read a minimum of three spektrumistami also
the person who subscribe ... But there are people who
pleased to discover for themselves the first time this edition 
and now (Truth and information is not the same, and the reader 
- not the one). 


    In addition to Moscow's Revue had other, equally serious
Russian-language edition for the Spectrum: sensational
book-comment disassembler firmware ROM O'Logana;
'Microprocessor Z80', 'Tr Dos for professionals',' How to write 
a game ', even just a collection of games were not garbage.



    We are all about them a lot or a little heard of, know, 
read, holding someone and now they through the door antresley

trying to throw a Stray view from below. Sometimes a thought -
if there were to the Spectrum printed editions of this magnitude
as the ZX Review, the aforementioned books and collections of 
publisher Peter VaPrint, Solon, then could not there be a any 
other, let less significant experience in the preparation and 
publication of literature for favorite Spectrum computer?



    ... Two years ago, one good and longtime friend, I
accidentally saw a binder rather interesting and at the same 
time strange for my view issues of newspapers. From the mind - 
like Newspaper ... Give me a detailed study to explore

Binder has caused in me the same evening surprise. The reason 
for my much attention and genuine surprise was a

modest detail - the newspapers were content and Spectrum
all were intended for him.


    Type of publication for today's Spectrum ear sounds
somewhat unusual - this 'newspaper' was not just itself, but
stitched weekly sheet format A4. Which word in the
the above proposal is defining for me to judge
difficult, although it is a fact 'weekly' in no way distracts
me in the direction of vague doubt that Izhevskoye independent
edition, as it is written on the cover, not for nothing called 
'ZX Weekend '.



    Genuine interest was aroused in me finding the very fact
existence ZX Weekend'a. At a time when I found out about it all
Revue, and other books have long been read to the holes and not 
a word in them about the existence ZX Weekend'a I fished out, 
no one is heard, did not know and certainly have not seen. 
Strange, is not it? 


    Frankly. Similarly, I can not say when the ZX Weekend
arose, and when he left in oblivion of the past. But it is all 
the same in Between 1992 and 1993, at least I think so,

since the peak of development and distribution of band Spectrum
occurred in these years.


    Who remembers my sketch of 'companions' to realize that as
once a certain time, I was marked by an unprecedented peak
Most Viewed Spectrum. Although it was not only in Izhevsk,
Perm Glazov - it was all over the country! Enterprising people
quickly realized that the proliferation of cloned a Spectrum
as if they were not called, a good living, be able to bring
good income.


    That this idea is the most inhibitory and most
good, what makes shevelits so-called progress to
better. And consequently, the publication itself, simply for 
the sake of the words 'Spectrum' leave would not be continued. 
Not lekvidno. The motto of the time: 'If the country is bad - 
the people of worse. " Little mediocre phrase, but the idea is 
guessed. So what we have. 


    It is established that someone Givi Nemsadze was the main
editor of this unpretentious weekly. From
I interviewed Izhevsk spektrumistov not everyone remembers a 
newspaper this title. Frankly, this People, and he just barely 
knew I was trying to find them, Aware of 'unknown' to them ZX

Weekend, and already know something more I could not. Only 
managed get a dozen miracle survivor numbers in Glazov thanks

Leonid Sitnikov.



    Pro edition of the newspaper I want to say the following 
items. Yes, he was with exactly 3000 copies for each issue. Lot 
or little? To understand, you should understand. If you are not 
surprised number of four digits, it means you are poorly you 
understand the business!? Izhevsk pretty little town in my 
comparison with other metropolitan areas. Perm in three-plus 
times more than Izhevsk, and about Moscow and Samara, I just 
keep quiet. 


    But the three 'things' copies - it's either the potential
spektrumisty or realistically spektrumisty that
could buy a newspaper and read it, or for the sake of
joke when a newspaper printed in order to sell, and if
it did not buy, then handed over as recycled paper ... By the 
way say (who does not know of coz), mass media, and

In this case, this newspaper is such a draw at least
1000. What is actually confirmed. In my opinion
would have been enough just to print and sell in some
designated location, but here, in my opinion, the editorial 
itself ZX Weekend outdid himself - has made it possible to 
subscribe to weekly through the normal communication center - a 
post office ( This is the view of some missing Inforkom, 
although I do not think so). A little strange that you can



    Content. Who thinks that there were discussed some
stsenovye disassembly retego level he is profoundly mistaken. 
About what the scene then we could talk? However, remember this

not even needed.


    Inside material rested on the game kontinenete, and the 
newspaper was saturated with descriptions of Spectrum games. 
That is all from beginning to end was one posvyashena - igorovoy

topics. The quality of these descriptions have to say it was 
pretty High-level, but what can you expect from people who

Toys were a hundred times and cracked perekalechennye?
Naturally, only a description of glitches, though not only. For 
quality materials were fighting for real.


Described as having the greatest number of positive responses,
awarded the first prize of 10 thousand rubles; second place
estimated in 5000. Price of one issue, incidentally, was only 5
rubles. Now, consider! But all had what they had. Sense
publishing system software was no. Describe
Western antediluvian Pascal and C compilers had no
sense because obschestvennast was pretty in this topic
rather frigid. Problems with foreign language and were then
no less acute. Of course, it came and before the publication of 
literacy classes Programming in assembly language.



    But not all so romantic and light. ZX Weekend gradually
otdalvalsya advertising. All this indirectly indicates that high
popular newspapers, although, naturally, to a limited
contingent of 'consumers' advertising'. Judge for yourself, why
spektrumistu information about all kinds of lipsticks, rubber
Boots, swimsuits and, most importantly, the nail polishes?
Marasmus potrebsoyuza!


    And then came mastday ... Yes, yes, yes. That's really what 
I do not I can understand is one thing - why you need to be 
printed in the newspaper Prayer win3.11 mixed with hygiene ads 
and description Laser with the Basic? Any normal person 
understands that there is no newspaper is not enough to 
describe and one-hundredth of overseas pornographic novel, 
where in the house a lot of open windows. But this was the 
problem wording, apparently, the material was from 
spektrumistov drying out ...



    Now the most interesting. At the time, came under the 
description the title 'best games for ZX Spectrum'. In total 
there were six issues. So, most of these descriptions have been 
through pages of the weekly. It's time to figure - how much

time there was a ZX Weekend, to publish at least part of
these descriptions? In the collections of 'best game' 
descriptions of several recycled, but in principle this will 
give you an idea as to what level of newspapers were published. 
All the maps and level scheme naturally present. The only thing 
that distinguishes the 'Best Game 'from ZX Weekend is the fact 
that they are no photos authors, although the latter were in 
the newspaper. 


    That's probably all that can be noted. Remained small,
very minor detail, which by its magnitude
overshadowed everything I knew about our regional Spectrum
coterie. In my memory there is nothing like that would ICDO
compare with the originality of this truth in an insane idea.


    Somewhere in May-June 1992, the weekly Weekend and Radio
'Capelle' publish advertisements which sends a strong message,
that will soon begin broadcasting Spectrum
programs on the radio! At the same time begin trial night
broadcast audio signals removed from the tape input
computer. The purpose of the action - is to get more active and
interested in obtaining a gaming software
spektrumistov and then start collecting money from them.


    So-called Radio 'Capel' introduces a small subscription fee 
and sell some kind of decoder, which would be decoded

recorded with the radio sound on tape.


    Here are a few words from this announcement:
'The decoder will be designed so that its copying
would be almost impossible. If the number of applicants
use one cassette with decoder will
several etouvelichit likelihood of mechanical damage
film, which will not be replaced. We believe that all
subscribers, as well as we are interested in increasing the 
number of subscribers. Using our services and to sign up

Weekly 'Weekend', you will get more advantages,
who do not anywhere else in Russia! Radio program - 'Capel' 
leave in broadcast weekly at 2 am on Saturday in

VHF on frequency 69.62 MHz (4.31 m) radio 'Lighthouse'
Izhevsk broadcast transmitting TV and radio stations. "


    And after all it was, with the radio signal hijacked a 
couple more neighboring cities. The result of all this was that 
on Weekly Weekend in his time wrote in the newspaper "Trud" -

most numerous newspaper of the Soviet Union (before collapse of 
the USSR, the circulation 18 million copies!), and even did a 
report on television (unfortunately I do not remember which 
channel), in which talked about how the newspaper itself, and 
that is Broadcast programs ...



    In order not to seem proud to say the following. How
I know, whether in Poland, the Czech Republic is engaged in
the same thing, ie, broadcast on the radio beeps
Spectrum tape programs and also in a coded
form. On the future of all this, I do not know. Can someone
knows?


    In this whole story is strange that today's generation
spektrumistov this just does not know, but from 'those' has no 
one - died a few exceptions, and tell about their achievements

none: (

P.S. ... And Givi Nemsadze and continues to work in the field
journalism, only this time in the newspaper 'Arguments and 
Facts Udmurtia'.